Underclass Showcase: Pitching Data Dive
October 20, 2023
On Sunday, October 15th, the PBR Illinois staff traveled to The MAX in McCook, IL, to host the annual Underclass Showcase, an event for 2026 and 2027 prospects that concluded our fall calendar.
For a closer look at the showcase details and the technologies we'll have on-site to assist our in-person evaluation for all in attendance, click here. For a complete look at those registered to attend this event, view the most up-to-date version of the roster by clicking here.
Wednesday, we took a closer look at some of the immediate standouts who caught our attention with our Quick Hits. Yesterday, we published our Statistical Analysis, where we broke down the stat leaders from the more traditional categories. Now, we will take a further in-depth look at the top pitchers with the help of our tech partnerships, broken down by the categories down below:
TRACKMAN
FASTBALL
VELOCITY (MAX)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Velocity (max) |
1 | Tyler Townsend | IL | Sycamore | 2026 | RHP | 86.7 mph |
2 | Sebastian Wilson | IL | Lane Tech | 2027 | OF | 86.5 mph |
3 | Luke Blackwell | IL | Valmeyer | 2026 | RHP | 86.1 mph |
4 | Jack Gianikos | IL | Maine South | 2026 | RHP | 84.3 mph |
5 | Colin Chung | IL | Lake Zurich | 2026 | SS | 82.2 mph |
Max Fastball Velocity: This metric calculates the speed of the pitch as it’s released from the pitcher’s hand.
SPIN RATE (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Spin Rate (avg) |
1 | James Feigleson | IL | St Charles East | 2026 | SS | 2111 rpm |
2 | Josh Rudnick | IL | Huntley | 2026 | RHP | 2111 rpm |
3 | Samuel Chin | IL | St. Laurence | 2026 | LHP | 2086 rpm |
4 | Jack Gianikos | IL | Maine South | 2026 | RHP | 2063 rpm |
5 | Colin Chung | IL | Lake Zurich | 2026 | SS | 2060 rpm |
Spin Rate: This metric calculates the rate of spin on the baseball as it leaves the pitcher’s hand, measured in revolutions per minute (rpm). Historical data shows that high-spin fastballs lessen the impact of gravity, allowing for more ‘rise’ (or less fall, in other words) as it carries through the zone. Low-spin fastballs typically indicate the pitch has greater horizontal action, often making it tougher to square up, but generally easier to make contact with, leading to more ground balls, while high-spin fastballs show a correlation with swings and misses.
INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | IVB (avg) |
1 | Samuel Chin | IL | St. Laurence | 2026 | LHP | 18.7 in |
2 | Jeremiah Henry | IL | Simeon | 2026 | 3B | 18.0 in |
3 | Jack Gianikos | IL | Maine South | 2026 | RHP | 17.6 in |
4 | Alexander Aridas | IL | Maine South | 2027 | RHP | 16.7 in |
5 | Brett Tucker | IL | Lemont Twp High School | 2026 | SS | 15.9 in |
6 | Sebastian Wilson | IL | Lane Tech | 2027 | OF | 15.6 in |
7 | Sammy Engle | IL | Highland Park | 2027 | 3B | 15.6 in |
8 | Luke Blackwell | IL | Valmeyer | 2026 | RHP | 15.2 in |
^ | Frankie Pavlik | IL | Yorkville | 2026 | SS | 15.2 in |
9 | Max Judge | IL | Hinsdale Central | 2027 | SS | 14.7 in |
10 | Josh Rudnick | IL | Huntley | 2026 | RHP | 14.6 in |
Induced Vertical Break: Used in short form as "IVB," this metric is most important on fastballs for creating rise and on curveballs for creating depth – it can also have some use when measuring sliders and cutters as well. Sliders tend to be closer to zero inches while cutters are generally between 5 and 15 inches. Usually fastballs and curveballs with large IVB have higher spin efficiencies as well. Sliders generally have very little (closer to zero) IVB and very low spin efficiency. You could also categorize IVB into spin rate as this is part of the “useful movement” you’re looking for. IVB is also a huge part of the vertical approach angle.
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | HM (avg) |
1 | Charlie Caroselli | IL | Providence Catholic | 2027 | RHP | 15.4 |
2 | Elliot Paul | IL | Evanston Township | 2027 | OF | 15.3 |
3 | Gabe Sanders | IL | Yorkville | 2026 | LHP | -14.9 |
4 | Samuel Chin | IL | St. Laurence | 2026 | LHP | -14.5 |
5 | James Feigleson | IL | St Charles East | 2026 | SS | 14.0 |
6 | Colin Chung | IL | Lake Zurich | 2026 | SS | 13.4 |
7 | Frankie Pavlik | IL | Yorkville | 2026 | SS | 13.1 |
8 | Tyler Townsend | IL | Sycamore | 2026 | RHP | 12.9 |
9 | Evan Voss | IL | Downers Grove South | 2026 | LHP | -12.9 |
10 | Max Judge | IL | Hinsdale Central | 2027 | SS | 12.8 |
Horizontal Break: Outlined on TrackMan’s own website: “... horizontal movement is measured in inches between where the pitch actually crosses the front of home plate side-wise, and where it would have crossed home plate side-wise if had it traveled in a perfectly straight line from release. A positive number means the break was to the right from the pitcher’s perspective, while a negative number means the break was to the left from the pitcher’s perspective.”
STRIKE ZONE RATE%
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Zone % |
1 | Brett Tucker | IL | Lemont Twp High School | 2026 | SS | 83 % |
^ | Sammy Engle | IL | Highland Park | 2027 | 3B | 83 % |
2 | Jack Gianikos | IL | Maine South | 2026 | RHP | 80 % |
3 | Jeremiah Henry | IL | Simeon | 2026 | 3B | 71 % |
^ | Luke Blackwell | IL | Valmeyer | 2026 | RHP | 71 % |
4 | Elliot Paul | IL | Evanston Township | 2027 | OF | 66 % |
^ | Tyler Townsend | IL | Sycamore | 2026 | RHP | 66 % |
5 | Sebastian Wilson | IL | Lane Tech | 2027 | OF | 57 % |
Average MLB pitchers throw 62% strikes, and better pitchers throw strikes 65% of the time, or roughly 2:1 strikes to balls.
CURVEBALL
SPIN RATE (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Spin Rate (avg) |
1 | Tyler Townsend | IL | Sycamore | 2026 | RHP | 2513 rpm |
2 | Colin Chung | IL | Lake Zurich | 2026 | SS | 2500 rpm |
3 | Samuel Chin | IL | St. Laurence | 2026 | LHP | 2349 rpm |
4 | Jack Gianikos | IL | Maine South | 2026 | RHP | 2267 rpm |
5 | James Feigleson | IL | St Charles East | 2026 | SS | 2142 rpm |
INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | IVB (avg) |
1 | Colin Chung | IL | Lake Zurich | 2026 | SS | -13.7 in |
2 | Charlie Caroselli | IL | Providence Catholic | 2027 | RHP | -11.3 in |
3 | Jeremiah Henry | IL | Simeon | 2026 | 3B | 9.5 in |
4 | Tyler Townsend | IL | Sycamore | 2026 | RHP | -8.9 in |
5 | Jack Gianikos | IL | Maine South | 2026 | RHP | -8.6 in |
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | HM (avg) |
1 | Jack Gianikos | IL | Maine South | 2026 | RHP | -18.4 |
2 | James Feigleson | IL | St Charles East | 2026 | SS | -16.3 |
3 | Tyler Townsend | IL | Sycamore | 2026 | RHP | -16.2 |
4 | Frankie Pavlik | IL | Yorkville | 2026 | SS | -15.7 |
5 | Colin Chung | IL | Lake Zurich | 2026 | SS | -15.1 |
STRIKE ZONE RATE%
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Zone % |
1 | Tim Flanagan | IL | St. Patrick | 2026 | C | 100 % |
2 | Tyler Townsend | IL | Sycamore | 2026 | RHP | 60 % |
^ | Evan Voss | IL | Downers Grove South | 2026 | LHP | 60 % |
^ | Gabe Sanders | IL | Yorkville | 2026 | LHP | 60 % |
^ | Brett Tucker | IL | Lemont Twp High School | 2026 | SS | 60 % |
SLIDER
SPIN RATE (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Spin Rate (avg) |
1 | Jack Gianikos | IL | Maine South | 2026 | RHP | 2298 |
2 | Samuel Chin | IL | St. Laurence | 2026 | LHP | 2078 |
3 | Josh Rudnick | IL | Huntley | 2026 | RHP | 2052 |
4 | Charlie Caroselli | IL | Providence Catholic | 2027 | RHP | 2037 |
5 | Connor Brockway | IL | Vernon Hills | 2026 | RHP | 2017 |
INDUCED VERTICAL BREAK (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | IVB (avg) |
1 | Charlie Caroselli | IL | Providence Catholic | 2027 | RHP | -7.9 in |
2 | Elliot Paul | IL | Evanston Township | 2027 | OF | 5.4 in |
3 | Sebastian Wilson | IL | Lane Tech | 2027 | OF | -4.4 in |
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | HM (avg) |
1 | Jack Gianikos | IL | Maine South | 2026 | RHP | -19.8 |
2 | Charlie Caroselli | IL | Providence Catholic | 2027 | RHP | -16.1 |
3 | Maddox Miller | IL | Cumberland | 2027 | SS | -13.0 |
4 | Sebastian Wilson | IL | Lane Tech | 2027 | OF | -12.9 |
5 | Elliot Paul | IL | Evanston Township | 2027 | OF | -12.2 |
STRIKE ZONE RATE%
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Zone % |
1 | Josh Rudnick | IL | Huntley | 2026 | RHP | 80 % |
^ | Connor Brockway | IL | Vernon Hills | 2026 | RHP | 80 % |
2 | Luke Blackwell | IL | Valmeyer | 2026 | RHP | 66 % |
3 | Charlie Caroselli | IL | Providence Catholic | 2027 | RHP | 60 % |
^ | Alexander Aridas | IL | Maine South | 2027 | RHP | 60 % |
CHANGEUP
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT (AVG.)
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | HM (avg) |
1 | Elliot Paul | IL | Evanston Township | 2027 | OF | 19.8 |
2 | Samuel Chin | IL | St. Laurence | 2026 | LHP | -18.6 |
3 | Colin Chung | IL | Lake Zurich | 2026 | SS | 16.3 |
4 | James Feigleson | IL | St Charles East | 2026 | SS | 16.0 |
5 | Frankie Pavlik | IL | Yorkville | 2026 | SS | 14.4 |
6 | Brett Tucker | IL | Lemont Twp High School | 2026 | SS | 13.9 |
7 | Luke Blackwell | IL | Valmeyer | 2026 | RHP | 13.5 |
8 | Jack Gianikos | IL | Maine South | 2026 | RHP | 13.5 |
9 | Charlie Caroselli | IL | Providence Catholic | 2027 | RHP | 13.3 |
10 | Alexander Aridas | IL | Maine South | 2027 | RHP | 13.2 |
STRIKE ZONE RATE%
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Spin Score (max) |
1 | Maddox Miller | IL | Cumberland | 2027 | SS | 28 |
2 | Sammy Engle | IL | Highland Park | 2027 | 3B | 27 |
3 | Josh Rudnick | IL | Huntley | 2026 | RHP | 27 |
+ CLICK HERE for a look at the complete statistics from the event.
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